ישעיהו, פרק ל״ד, פסוק ח׳

An appointed era of divine justice is destined to arrive, marking a moment when God will act to defend His honor and address the deep wounds inflicted upon His people and their land. The primary approach among commentators is that this anticipates an ultimate future redemption. However, another perspective suggests that this justice was already carried out in the days of Nebuchadnezzar, immediately following the exile of Zion [אבן עזרא]. The exact timing of this divine response may depend on the behavior of the people. If they earn it through their actions, God will accelerate the redemption swiftly as a sudden day of vengeance. If they do not merit this early intervention, the redemption will still arrive at its fixed, predetermined time as a full year of recompense, once the historical conflict has run its course [חומת אנך].

This divine justice is driven by two distinct motives. The first centers on vengeance for God Himself. This is understood either as God defending His own honor against those who deny Him and worship false idols [מלבי״ם], or as God stepping in to avenge the suffering of His people [מצודת דוד]. The second motive is one of strict recompense, operating on the principle of measure for measure. It ensures that the cruelty of the wicked will ultimately return upon their own heads [אבן עזרא], serving as a direct payment for their actions [מצודת ציון].

This repayment specifically addresses the grievance of Zion, which is personified as crying out before God and demanding justice against the evildoers who brought about her destruction. In response, God steps forward to champion her cause and pass judgment on her enemies [רש״י, רד״ק, מצודת דוד]. Regarding the exact identity of these enemies, opinions differ. Some identify the targets of this vengeance and repayment as the nation of Edom [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ, אבן עזרא], while others maintain that the punishment is directed at the Babylonians [מצודת דוד].